Anybody know what the contract situation is .........

[sonicyouth]

Caton was in the year below me at school, there's an interesting fact for you all.

[Reg Smeeton]

Caton was in the year below me at school, there's an interesting fact for you all.

 Made me think of the sporty types I went to school with....one was John Francome who was a good all round sportsman and kept his horse riding quiet.

 The other was a dude called Richard Harding, who used to compete with me for the scrum half position in the school rugby team. this led to a bit of resentment and a few rucks and mauls....I had a passionate desire to batter this little shit, but  could never manage to better him.

 His family didn't like our rough school so sent him to Millfield, subsequently he played for and captained England...in fact he was the captaiin previous to Will Carling.

[Boeta]

So now we all know how old Reg is...

[Anonymous]

Caton was in the year below me at school, there's an interesting fact for you all.

 Made me think of the sporty types I went to school with....one was John Francome who was a good all round sportsman and kept his horse riding quiet.

 The other was a dude called Richard Harding, who used to compete with me for the scrum half position in the school rugby team. this led to a bit of resentment and a few rucks and mauls....I had a passionate desire to batter this little shit, but  could never manage to better him.

 His family didn't like our rough school so sent him to Millfield, subsequently he played for and captained England...in fact he was the captaiin previous to Will Carling.

i went to school with mildenhall,and live in same street as ashan holgate who thinks andy caton will be the dogs bollox for town and if evans goes why not have mildy back he dont like it on oldhams bench

[reeves4england]

I think I would keep Evans, howard, Igoe and Smith. Unsure about the others as it would depend on their wages and what else we could get in.

[yeo]

Ian Botham went to my secondary school,a few years younger than my dad.

[reeves4england]

My old tutor tauhgt Marcus Trescothick how to play cricket! not quite the same but hey!

[Simon Pieman]

Smith has to be offered at least another year now, he's proved himself to be very capable. I didn't think he was any good before but he's proved me wrong.

I've not quite reached that stage yet, but another couple of good perfomances in centre mid and I may be forced to eat a little humble pie on this one.

mmmmmmm pie

pie has to be the best meals
l....ever!

[Dazzza]

See King is in the adver today doing his anual take it or leave it speech before the summer.  My predictions are...

Evans - NEW 2yr deal
Book - NEW 1yr deal

Jenkins - 1 year remaining
O'Hanlon - 1 Year remaining
Ifil - 1 year remaining + 1yr option
Reeves - Stepping up as full time coach but still registering to play
Heywood -  NEW 1 yr deal
Duke - NEW 1yr deal
Nicholas - 1 year remaining  OUT - Chester

Robinson - Expired - OUT
Igoe - Expired - NEW 1yr deal
Hewlett - Expired - NEW 1yr deal
Miglioranzi - 1yr remaining
Smith - Expired - OUT (tough call but I think he will likely be offered a poor contract and walk)
Howard - 1yr remaining

Parkin - 1yr remaining
Fallon - 1yr remaining OUT (if any takers)
Roberts - 2yrs remaining

Final Year Scholars

Garrard NEW - 6 month deal
Pook NEW - 6 month deal
Holgate NEW - 6 month deal
Wells
Bulman

Can see King trying to bring in about 6 - 7 new players.

New LB to replace Nicholas
New CB to replace Reeves

New LW to replace Holmes, unless Howard returns back to the left.
New CM to replace Turbo

New CF regardless of Rory coming or going.

Not sure where else he will look to strengthen.  Probably bring in a couple of Prem youngsters and an older head to balance things out along with the usual non-league bit of tat.

[Anonymous]

See King is in the adver today doing his anual take it or leave it speech before the summer.  My predictions are...

Evans - NEW 2yr deal
Book - NEW 1yr deal

Jenkins - 1 year remaining
O'Hanlon - 1 Year remaining
Ifil - 1 year remaining + 1yr option
Reeves - Stepping up as full time coach but still registering to play
Heywood -  NEW 1 yr deal
Duke - NEW 1yr deal
Nicholas - 1 year remaining  OUT - Chester

Robinson - Expired - OUT
Igoe - Expired - NEW 1yr deal
Hewlett - Expired - NEW 1yr deal
Miglioranzi - 1yr remaining
Smith - Expired - OUT (tough call but I think he will likely be offered a poor contract and walk)
Howard - 1yr remaining

Parkin - 1yr remaining
Fallon - 1yr remaining OUT (if any takers)
Roberts - 2yrs remaining

Final Year Scholars

Garrard NEW - 6 month deal
Pook NEW - 6 month deal
Holgate NEW - 6 month deal
Wells
Bulman

Can see King trying to bring in about 6 - 7 new players.

New LB to replace Nicholas
New CB to replace Reeves

New LW to replace Holmes, unless Howard returns back to the left.
New CM to replace Turbo

New CF regardless of Rory coming or going.

Not sure where else he will look to strengthen.  Probably bring in a couple of Prem youngsters and an older head to balance things out along with the usual non-league bit of tat.

sounds about right but i think we will keep fallon ,and dont forget caton so i dont know whether we will get another striker...we could get mooney back and stone him just a idea

[reeves4england]

There will be one promising youngster released from the Premiership, two well known but not top notch players and somebody from lower down in the English footbal;ling pyramid.
Hopefully that will include a replacement for Parkin (assuming he goes) and a 'hard man' in CM.

[Dazzza]

Hadn't realised but it seems Howard is in fact out of contract in the summer with some sort of 1yr option.

Makes things interesting.  I would say that the option is a clause similar to the one Duke had a season or so back that a minimum amount of games played triggers a 1yr extension.

That said who knows if he's played enough?  Probably a stayer mind I'd have thought.

[Marie]

Rhys is going. No doubt about it.

[walrus]

Dazza - I disagree, I think far more will go that you predict.

Book - Out - too old (37 next season, and has not challenging Rhys) - could change if he impresses but I highly doubt it

Ifil - Possible out (may go as hasn't played of late and seems to have fallen out of King's good books)

Nicholas - OUT

Robinson - OUT (not even on our subs bench now)

Howard - OUT   (He will want 1st team football, and he isn't getting it here right now - won't be impressed at losing his place to a 17 yr old)

Igoe - OUT (hopefully - think we can do better on the right wing)

Smith - NEW 1 yr deal (having scored goals King would be very very stupid to let him leave - stayed last year despite playing a handful of games, so he's likely to stay again)

Fallon - OUT (shame, but I think he sees he's not in the manager's first team plans)

Caton - NEW 8yr pro deal having impressed at the end of this season sufficiently to justify an 8 year contract


--


Hopefully we'll bag:

New striker
New RM
New CM
New backup GK

That is all we need to push on, it really is.

However, having read what King's saying recently, don't be surprised if even more than what I've listed leave.  I believe King is disappointed this year with the performance of players - notably Ifil and Howard - and think he'll show a few the door and try what he did the season before last, and hope it has similar effects.

[sonicyouth]

Hold on... An EIGHT year contract? Was that irony?